By Kami Merritt
Staff Writer
Can you have fun and still train with life-saving equipment? According to Walterboro City Fire Station #1, you can.
Fire Station #1, located behind City Hall, played a rousing game of dodgeball Monday evening, Feb. 9, but it wasn’t all in fun. This was part of their air management training.
This training is excellent for firefighters to practice how to conserve air while wearing full turnout gear and breathing from a tank and mask. Those skills become crucial in the field when firefighters have to put out maximum physical effort while battling blazes and have to maximize their limited supply of air at the same time. The dodgeball game was physically exerting and at the same time, the firefighters had to remember to pay close attention to their supply of oxygen. It was an eye opener for many of them.
“The tanks hold approximately 45 minutes of air,” said Fire Chief Paul Seigler. “This training teaches you to be physically active while learning to manage your oxygen,” he added. “Practicing these skills may save their lives.”
